A Very Paul Thanksgiving
by z-aliceinwonderland-z
Summary: When Paul's Thanksgiving is going terribly, he begins to remember why he loved his imprint Annabella in the first place. Maybe a look back will convince him that their future will be okay. Paul/OC.Language.Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Playlist: I've had pretty much the Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack in my car all week. But, this particular story makes me think of "Requiem on Water" by Imperial Mammot. **

**A/N: So, a little Thanksgiving treat! I hope you guys enjoy Paul's fun memories of he and his imprint and best friend: Annabella Murano. She's a pale brunette with a firey passion for...knowledge? Oh dear, how is this going to turn out? This story is dedicated to LeilaOpheliaRose.**

"Paul! Stop!"

My hands came down just a bit too hard on the door handle, leaving a small dent where my hand had been. But, I didn't look back to inspect the damage beyond that. I didn't even look around to make sure no witnesses were around before kicking my bike into a tree. It split clean in half with the force of my kick. I sunk to the ground against the same tree and began to cry.

It was Thanksgiving. _Thanks-fucking-giving. _And probably the worst I could ever remember.

Her face was imprinted in my mind - _literally_. I couldn't get her out of mind, every single memory of it. Even down to the first time he had met her, exactly sixteen years ago.

_I was turning two the next day and I thought about my successful birthday party as kicked my feet back and forth, sitting outside the hospital. I was angry at my mother for making me miss my favorite cartoon for this. So I sat in the old blue chair at Newport Hospital, angry and upset. _

_A middle aged doctor opened the door to Mrs. Murano's hospital room, inviting my mother and I in. My mom took me by the hand and led me into the room. Mrs. Murano - a lady who had babysat me many times laid in the hospital bed, a bundle of "pride and joy" in her arms, with Uncle Marcus, another one of my babysitters, looking adoringly at Mrs. Murano and the blanket. _

"_So?" My mom asked, excitedly. I didn't understand what was going on._

"_It's a girl," Mrs. Murano replied. She looked sweetly down at the blanket and smiled, tears pricking at her eyes. _

_Of course, I, during all this time had pulled over one of the chairs in the room, with great difficulty and crawled up to look at the thing everyone was so worried and excited over. I stared a the tiny, pink skinned baby strangely for a moment before her eyes popped open and she looked right at me, her bright green ones meeting dark brown ones. _

_I reached my hands out. "Can I hold it?" _

_Mrs. Murano smiled weakly and nodded, handing the baby to Mom as she explained how to hold the baby. I listened intently, and reached my hands out exactly the way my mother showed me. I sat down and allowed the beautiful baby girl in my arms. _

_I gazed at her, transfixed on her eyes. She gazed at me too, suddenly very awake and very happy. Happier than she had been all day, or so her mom had said. _

"_I like her. She's pwetty." I said, making the realization that I did like this little thing in my arms. I actually loved it. The feeling I had for the little bundle was unreal and made me so happy. _

"_What her name?" I asked, looking at Mrs. Murano and Uncle Marcus._

"_Annabella." _

I laughed bitterly at the memory. I had thought the little girl was a toy that I was allowed to play with. My mom had to explain to me that I was to be careful with her, and protect her rather than play with her like a action figure. A life-size action figure.

As a boy, I had taken my mission in stride. I felt like a superhero - Annabella's personal superhero.

Of course, that job description hadn't mentioned I would lose a lot of my friends. Especially Jared, whom after my seventh birthday I had hated for almost ten years. I'd never forget the moment where everything turned sour between him and I.

_Five-year-old Annabella tumbled to the ground, crying out in pain, as mud splashed onto her navy blue sailor dress and tights. Jared laughed, standing above her in my backyard. _

"_I said, you can't play with us!" He said in a mean voice that made Annabella's sobs come faster. Her face kept getting redder and redder, tears of anger and hurt streamed down her face. Turning to look at the other boys I had over for my spend-the-night party for my birthday, where she was the only girl, and she cried out even more. _

"_P-Paul…" she whispered. "Paul…" _

_I had just turned seven-years-old and couldn't have been happier. I turned at the sound of my name, thought, seeing Jared and another boy from my class standing over a crying Annabella. Anger coursed through me and I walked right over to the two boys and pushed them away from her. _

"_Leave her alone, Jared. She can play with us if she wants," I said, helping her out of the mud. She was crying still as she wrapped her tiny arms around my waist. Her tears leaked onto the back of my shirt, where she clung to me, pressing her face into my back._

"_Aw, isn't this sweet. Look! Paul has a girlfriend!" Jared called, his voice echoing around the backyard. My face turned beat red. They had figured out my secret. They knew that I loved Annabella. They would make fun of me so much. Embarrassment replaced the anger in me quickly. _

"_Annabella? You okay?" My mommy called, putting her hands around her mouth to voice herself into the backyard. Annabella looked up, shaking her head as a new wave of tears began and she ran smack into my mom's leg. _

I didn't really forgive Jared until the order came to us from Sam, after our shift. We had become friends eventually, since for a while it was only us two on patrols. But, I never really let it go completely. Especially, when I saw Annabella two days after I shifted.

"_You did alright, Paul," Sam said, patting me on the back. I shrugged out of his touch, angry at my unsuccessful attempts to change back after my first phase. I was also mad at my lack of knowledge that this could even happen. Plus, I wanted to wipe the smug look off Jared's stupid face for his ease of phasing._

_I trekked the way home in twice the amount of time it would have taken me as a wolf - but I didn't want to take any chances that would take another two nights for me to change back. Of course, I hadn't expected Annabella to be at my house._

"_Anna," I heard my mom say, using her pet name for Annabella. I had learned quickly that my mom was the _only_ one allowed to use that nickname on her. "Don't you think you should go home and get some rest? It's been two days. I know you're parents are okay with you being here and you know I am too but…" She trailed off, hoping Annabella would take what she was saying seriously._

_I heard Annabella sigh before she answered. "No. No, I want to be here when he comes back. I'm too worried to sleep and I know you are too. Ever since he disappeared from school that day - I just can't go home. I know the minute I leave will be the minute he shows up."_

_Deciding now would be a good time to make my entrance, I turned the corner and opened the sliding screen door. I was about to make a smart remark, when I looked into her bright green eyes._

"_Paul! Thank God you're alright!" She shouted, jumping over the many books she had sprawled across the floor. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders in her usual tight hug. _

_I can't speak. I can't think. I'm practically hyperventilating. All because she's _touching _me. She's fucking touching me and it feels like fucking heaven. I moan lightly, playing with her hair. I can't even comprehend everything she's saying to me. _

_Then it hits me. Like a damned ton of bricks. I've imprinted on my best friend._

_Oh, fuck. _

We had always been perfect for each other. There had only been a couple of rare occasions when we fought. Once distinct time was so much clearer than all the others. I had been in the eighth grade, she in the sixth grade. And, since the grade difference really tore us apart during school, she had made a new friend.

Jacob fucking Black.

The name now made me so angry to even think about her and him holding hands and walking the small hallways at QTS together. Even though she was securely mine now, Jacob Black was a topper on the _Don' Mention Their Names _list.

"_Where's Annabella been? I haven't seen her around lately." My mom asked casually, laying a few pancakes on my plate. When I didn't respond, she looked at me strangely. "Paul?"_

_I huffed dramatically, picking up my fork and pushing my delicious food around. "She's always with that boy now," I answered angrily. My mom's face looked weird, like she was hiding a smirk as she sat down across from me. "Jacob Black. I hate him."_

_One of my mom's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "No you don't. Now, quit playing with your food and eat up. I didn't cook this food to waste."_

_Again, I huffed and stuck my fork into my pancakes irately. _

That had been it for Annabella and Jacob Black. They stayed good friends, but that's all they stayed. In fact, the next night, Annabella surprised me by coming over to my house for a spend the night party, just her and me.

It continued like that until Annabella was sent off to Seattle to do some college test she had been signed up for. She did so good, they had her back the next weekend - to my disappointment - to do another test. She did just as well and suddenly, she was in my grade.

I had been so happy, until she told me the worst news of all. We were walking home from school together, like always, for one of our families Friday night barbeques and our choice of which house to spend the night at.

"_What do you mean you aren't going to QTS anymore?" I asked angrily as I stood in the hallway of our school. Annabella flinched, looking dejectedly at my hunched over form that was leaned against the locker next to hers - which so happened to be mine._

"_I mean exactly that. The counselor thinks it would be the best thing for me. I have a shot at Harvard, Paul. I mean, Harvard - but only if I learn at a faster and harder pace and push my limits in the next few years. She thinks its best if I was home-schooled. I mean, Jacob was supportive. Why can't you be?"_

_She slammed her locker shut as she saw my eyes begin to turn red. I rubbed at them quickly, then turned and started walking out of the school. I didn't want her to think I was weak. Annabella ran, quickly catching up to me. We walked back to our homes, halfway in silence. The walk was practically twenty minutes from the school to Paul and Libby's houses. They walked home together everyday, rain or snow. _

"_Paul, tell me. What's bugging you?" Annabella asked, pushing a piece of hair off her face and looping it around the curve of her ear. I sighed at the movement, wanting to kiss her and shake her at the same time._

"_Nothing," I huffed, obviously frustrated and dramatic as usual._

_Annabella shook her head at me and jumped to catch up with my long strides. "I'm you best friend. And we don't have secrets. And I know something's bothering you. And something's been bothering you for a while. So…spill." _

"_Ugh! It's just…your always with Jacob now, and I feel like he's more important to you that I will ever be. And I hate him for that. I hate him for taking you away from me."_

_Annabella frowned and slid her hand into mine, which I gladly accepted and intertwined our fingers, porcelain on copper. _

"_You'll always be my number one guy, Paul. No one will ever replace you." _

I sighed at the lovely memory. Of course, that had been before I shifted and became a werewolf that happened to imprint on my middle school crush. All I could think was that the Spirit Warrior must have a sense of humor and a heart.

That thinking quickly changed when Annabella started dating Jack, a boy older than me. He was way to old for her and I complained about that for hours to both my mom and her mom, whenever they went on dates.

Things changed about four months into their relationship.

_It was Annabella's seventeenth birthday, though she was a senior, and I had promised her dinner and a home movie marathon, because she hated theaters. My parents promised to be out of the house so that we could watch our movies in peace._

_Besides, they knew Annabella and Jack were still dating. She had shared lunch with him earlier, but told him she couldn't hang tomorrow or tonight since we had plans both times. Tomorrow was my nineteenth birthday and I planned to spend the whole thing with my imprint._

_I hadn't told her anything though, because as soon as I had gotten the nerve, she started dating Jack. I wanted to rip his head off, of course. But, I wouldn't - because it would hurt her. Just like making her chose would hurt her and maybe me if I wasn't her pick. So, I would wait._

"_Well?" I asked, finishing my listing of all the movies I had lined up. "How does that sound?"_

"_What?" She retorted. _

"_The movies?""Oh, yeah!" She caught herself as we pulled into my dirt driveway. "Yeah, that sounds great." Of course, I knew she hadn't been listening, but I let it go. Something about her seemed off tonight._

_When it got to her favorite part in _The Lion King_ then I knew something was up when she didn't start quoting the movie like I did. _

_I stopped the movie and turned towards her, grabbing her hand in mine. The movement awoke her from her daydreaming. She shook herself out of her mind and apologized quickly._

"_Annabella? Are you okay?" I asked, a bit of anger slipping through my words. Heat coursed through me once, and I quickly calmed myself. "I mean, the one night we get together for your big day. Are you alright?" _

_She sighed, running a hand through her brown waves and sighed, a bitter laugh falling through her pink lips. 'I-If I ask you something, y-you won't judge me, right?"_

"_Of course not," I whispered, lifting a hand to her cheek. "What is it?""Are you a virgin?"_

_I sighed. That was certainly not the question I was expecting. But, I knew I had to answer it and truthfully at that. "No. I'm not. I've done it a couple of times with a few different girls." Okay, so maybe I hadn't told the full truth - but I wasn't lying._

_Having the fully opposite reaction that I expected, she smiled and let out a shaky laugh, saying, "Oh, good." For a moment, I thought to ask, but she explained soon enough. "Well, Jack is um…very experienced in that department and we were kind of thinking about, you know, doing it soon. Or, he wants too. I guess I'm cool with it - but I just want my first time to be special. So, I lied and told him I wasn't a virgin."_

"_But, y-you are right?" I blurted, needing reassurance before I could have the urge to kick this bastard Jack's ass._

_She nodded quickly. "Look, Paul, I want you to be the one I lose my virginity to."_

That night had been the best night of my life for two distinct reasons.

One, that was the beginning of our relationship as a wolf and imprint. I didn't confess to her that night but I knew I would in the morning and I knew she would accept me immediately.

Two, that was the end of her relationship with that ass-hat _Jack_. After we started to get comfortable with each other I think it was too difficult for either one of us to move afterwards because we were afraid of losing each other. We both quickly realized last night wasn't any little thing. We weren't just friends anymore.

"Paul," her soft voice whispered, invading my mind and practically driving me crazy with emotions. She didn't say anything about the tears flowing from my eyes. It hadn't been the first time I'd cried in front of her. "Paul, what-"

I cut her off, my voice hoarse from crying. "What do you-" I took in a deep breath, keeping my sadness in check. I didn't want another tears session in front of Annabella. "What do you want from me, Annabella? I mean, I- Just tell me what you want from me…Do you want me to be happy for you? Is that it?"

Suddenly, Annabella was maneuvering her way onto my lap. She fingered the navy of the button up I was wearing for the holiday. "I don't know what happened...I thought you could be happy for me? I thought you knew this was a possibility since the home-schooling thing in ninth grade."

For a long time I was silent, until I hoarsely whispered, "It's three thousand, one hundred and ninety-four miles from here." I waited a moment before adding. "From me."

Annabella kissed me passionately on the mouth before muttering. "Why can't you been resistible?"

At my lack of reaction, Annabella straddled my lap. "Look, if I apply for next year and go fall of next year to the school, that gives us plenty of time to plan a wedding, have a wedding and still look for an apartment near campus."

My face let a single second of confusion pass before I light up like the many soon to be decorated Christmas trees. "Annabella," I breathed, holding her tightly to my chest. "I love you so much my pwetty girl."

Annabella smiled and kissed me just below my ear, whispering, "And I love you my jealous wolf-boy." She grinned, pulling back before touching her nose and forehead evenly with mine. Suddenly, she added, "I think our families are missing us. It is Thanksgiving, after all. And the two things I'm most thankful for are far to separated right now, so come inside."

I held tightly to her hand as we began our walk back into the warmth of my house. Just before we entered the front door, she turned back to me.

"And, about the bike?" She said sweetly, before her expression turned dark. "You break it, you bought it!"

**A/N: So, tell me what you guys think! Should I do a Christmas special? Who should it be with? :) Let me know if you have any ideas. Also, Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and showing what we are thankful for. I know that I am very thankful for my family and friends - like most. But, I also want to shout out to all my loyal readers that believed in Absorbing Heat with the first chapter. Now, I'm at two hundred and five reviews and the story's not even over. Not to mention we have so much more in the entire AH series coming. **

**I'm planning to finish AH and then get back on Finding Daisy. At the same time, I will finish up and tweak Ali and Paul's story as well as the beginning of the AH Sequel! I hope you guys are as excited as I am. Of course, SUPRISE SUPRISE! I have written the summary and bits and pieces of Nate's story and I'm so so so excited for that. It will be posted as soon as I finish the first few chapters.**

**As I said before, I'm so thankful for all my friends and readers and to any people who are about to review this story! It would just brighten my day. I am also very thankful for my co-writer LeilaOpheliaRose who has no idea I've writen this or that I have DEDICATED IT TO HER! Yes, dearie! This oneshot is dedicated to you for being such an awesome person and helping me when I needed the support.**

**PS - Please continue your prayers for LeilaOpheliaRose's family! They are going through some hard times right now and we should give her some support in this!**

**Fish and Chips and Sweet Potatoes!**

**-Alice!**


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